The New England Revolution are aiming to reverse their recent form when they play host to a surging Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Saturday evening at Gillette Stadium. The Revolution have won just once since the start of April, their last match a 2-1 loss at Real Salt Lake last weekend. Whitecaps FC have won three in a row, coming off a late 2-1 league win against San Jose last weekend, and advancement in the Canadian Championship at midweek.

The New England Revolution lost for a fourth time in the last five matches, a 2-1 defeat by Real Salt Lake at Rio Tinto Stadium on Saturday evening. The Revolution are in sixth place in the Eastern Conference with 9 points from 9 games.

HIGHLIGHTS: Cards abound as RSL down Revs

LAST MATCH

The Revolution took the lead in the 22nd minute. Freed by Shalrie Joseph, Blake Brettshneider took off on a counter attack down the left side, and after cutting square across the top of the penalty area, sent a curling laser into the far side netting.

But Real drew level in the 33rd minute. Kyle Beckerman's partially deflected cross bounced around in the middle, finally ricocheting off Alvaro Saborio's chest. It fell nicely to his feet, and he struck it low and hard before goalkeeper Matt Reis could react.

In the 55th minute, Saborio hit for his second of the game. A Javier Morales free kick found Saborio unmarked on the back post, and he headed it home with the least difficulty.

Just four minutes later, the game changed drastically just a few minutes later when Will Johnson was shown a red card by referee David Gantar after a lunging challenge into New England's Clyde Simms.

But the teams were level again nine minutes from the end when a red card was issued to Fernando Cardenas when the young Colombian clipped RSL's Jamison Olave while challenging for a bouncing ball.

Revolution head coach Jay Heaps made four changes to the team that came back for a 2-1 win against the Colorado Rapids at Gillette Stadium. John Lozano, Kelyn Rowe, Lee Nguyen and Blake Brettschneider came into the team, in place of Stephen McCarthy, Fernando Cardenas, Jose Moreno and Saer Sene.

The Revolution suffered their third consecutive loss on the road in the Real Salt Lake match. Seven of their next nine games are at Gillette Stadium, beginning with back-to-back home games against Vancouver and Houston.

"I thought we came in with the right attitude," Revolution head coach Jay Heaps said. "We did a lot of the right things, but, unfortunately, we gave up another game, a game where we did have it and we fought well. We have to be a little bit better in finishing games and not giving up goals on set pieces."

Said Clyde Simms: "We've had a tough schedule so far. A lot of traveling, and been on the road a lot, so it's going to be very good to get back home and have fresh legs. We feel like we are playing great soccer, just a little unfortunate with our results. Some of the goals given up have been a little soft and we will work on that and get better to be able to become a tough team."

Blake Brettschneider scored his second career goal - his first since coming to New England -at Real Salt Lake. He scored his first professional goal last June 11 with D.C. United.

"We felt confident going forward, but this is a tough place to play, and with altitude and the environment, to be able to come in and get a first goal was great. It felt good to get the weight off my shoulders," said Brettschneider. "It felt great, but it wasn't enough for the night. It was a good boost for us, but just wasn't enough."

Striker Jose Moreno was unable for the RSL match after exiting the Colorado match with a right calf injury. He is listed as out for this weekend's match on the club's injury report.

Rookie Kelyn Rowe did return to the lineup after he was held out of the Colorado match in squad rotation. Rowe has started eight matches this season.

Heaps started his side with a lone striker in Brettschneider, but shifted to three in the back and a pair of strikers following the expulsion of Real's Will Johnson on the hour, bringing on Cardenas, Diego Fagundez and Saer Sene.

"We wanted to win," Heaps said. "We had the chances. We had a couple of chances in front. We sensed that we could at least get an equalizer. Give credit where credit is due: Nick Rimando had a nice game, made some good saves and kept their guys where they are. They're a veteran team and they have that cohesiveness."

The Revolution received a boost when the suspension issued to Fernando Cardenas - following his 81st-minute ejection at RSL - was overturned in an appeal to the MLS Disciplinary Committee. It was the first time in MLS history a suspension as a result of a red card was rescinded, and Cardenas will be available for the Vancouver match.

"We felt, out of principle, that we really should fight this one," Heaps said. "And we did."

VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC

Vancouver Whitecaps FC won a club record third game on the trot, coming back for a dramatic 2-1 victory against the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday evening at BC Place. Whitecaps FC are in fourth place in the Western Conference with 17 points from 9 games.

HIGHLIGHTS: Vancouver get thrilling win against SJ

LAST MATCH

San Jose took the lead after just 15 minutes. Marvin Chavez found an unmarked Chris Wondolowski lurking at the far post and put it on a platter for the league's leading scorer to head home. Vancouver goalkeeper Joe Cannon scrambled across but could only push the ball into the side netting.

Whitecaps FC had an answer shortly before halftime, as Gershon Koffie used his head to level the score from a free kick generated by Omar Salgado down the left side. Camilo stepped up to take the set piece, whipping in a ball which Koffie met well for the 41st-minute equalizer.

The game's decisive moment came in the fourth minute of stoppage time. Eric Hassli found himself alone on the left edge of the area and powered a low strike which Busch managed to get a hand on, before squeaking through and rebounding off the post and finding the back of the net.

Whitecaps FC head coach Martin Rennie made two changes to the team that knocked off the Columbus Crew 1-0 at Columbus Crew Stadium. Alain Rochat came back in at left back for Jordan Harvey, and Camilo started up top for Eric Hassli.

Whitecaps FC conceded their first goal in three games, but still won for a third consecutive league match - their fourth in all competitions - in the 2-1 home win vs. San Jose.

"We are obviously very happy getting the win and to get the win the way we did, I just think it shows what the club is starting to become," said Whitecaps FC head coach Martin Rennie. "It shows a club that believes, a team that believes, even if it's the last minute, even if it's in stoppage time, you keep going and have that belief."

For the first time in their MLS history, Whitecaps FC won a match after allowing the opening goal. They were 0-14-4 when conceding first last year, and lost their only match this year.

"For the guys to show the character to come back from 1-0 down, I think that's probably the first time we've done that, even last year included," said defender Jay DeMerit. "It shows the strides we're making. We try not to get ahead of ourselves, but it's games like that that really make you enjoy what this game is all about."

Whitecaps FC striker Eric Hassli scored his first goal in 17 MLS games - since last Aug. 7 - in his club's win vs. San Jose. Hassli finished his first season in the league last year with 10 goals.

"It's like almost six months I didn't score [in MLS]," Hassli said. "So, I'm happy tonight, but the most important thing is that we won 2-1 and we continue our way."

The match-winning goal came in a combination between Hassli and Chiumiento after both came off the substitutes' bench. It was Chiumiento's first appearance in three matches, while Hassli has been a substitute in two of the last three.

"As you could see tonight, we really played a different lineup to the lineup that played on Wednesday against Edmonton," Rennie said. "It just shows it's a squad game and everybody's got to be ready to play whatever role they're given in a given game. When you decide to be part of a team you give up your right to what you want as an individual. You give that up to be part of a team. The guys understand that and Davide would probably feel the same. He came on and set up the goal for Eric. These guys have to contribute and they definitely did today."

Said Chiumiento: "It was lucky, because the defender was close to the ball. But Eric knows me and I know his movements. We didn't play a lot together this year. I know him, I know his movements. I like to play these balls. That's my quality, and I'm happy that it worked."

Camilo returned to the starting lineup after missing the Columbus match, and contributed his second assist of the campaign to go with two goals.

Gershon Koffie scored his second MLS goal since joining Whitecaps FC, his first coming last Aug. 7 vs. Chicago. He has moved to become a target on set pieces under Rennie, instead of remaining outside the mixer to pick up loose clearances last year.

"He's got the ability to attack the ball," Rennie said of Koffie. "He's aggressive, he's powerful and he can jump well. We've got to make more use of that. For him, one of the things missing in his game is the goalscoring. Everyone remembers the goalscorers and for him to develop to the level we believe he can I think he needs to contribute more goals and continue doing what he's doing."

On Wednesday, Whitecaps FC advanced to the final of the Amway Canadian Championship, defeating second-tier FC Edmonton 3-1 at BC Place, winning their semifinal tie 5-1 on aggregate.

Yashir Pinto gave FC Edmonton the lead on 54 minutes and put the visitors within a goal of leveling the tie, before substitute Sebastien Le Toux beat David Monsalve with a goal in the 75th minute and tallied a second in the 87th minute after a missed penalty. Darren Mattocks scored an insurance goal with the game's final kick to round out the win.